Of these we have a summary account given by the Apostle in the third chapter of
the first Epistle to Timothy, in connection with the third verse of the sixth
chapter of Acts.

"Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much
wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; holding the mystery of the faith in a pure
conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of
a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not
slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of
one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have
used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great
boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus" (1Ti 3:8-13).

"Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report,
full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business"
(Ac 6:3).

Concerning the qualifications of persons for the deacon's office, as exhibited
in these passages, a highly respectable writer observes: [79]

1st. "That they should be men of dignified gravity, in their speech and
gesture; and not light, frothy, and vain. The deacons must be grave.

2d. They must be sincere. Not double-tongued.

3d. Temperate. Not given to much wine.

4th. Free from avarice. Not greedy of filthy lucre.

5th. Acquainted with the doctrines of the gospel. Holding the mysteries of
the faith, that is, the gospel.

6th. Honestly attached to the doctrines of the gospel. Holding the mysteries
of the faith in, or with, a pure conscience.

7th. Of a fair Christian reputation. Brethren, look ye out among you seven
men of honest report; that is, well reported of, or having an
unblemished and irreproachable character."

They ought to be men of distinguished piety, full of the Holy Ghost and
wisdom.

8th. "They ought to be proved antecedently to their introduction into
office. And let these first be proved.

An ancient, perhaps the original, mode was this:

The name of the candidate was published in a Christian assembly, that if those
who belonged to the church had anything to object to his character they might
have an opportunity of declaring it to the church.

But as no mode is described by the Apostles, and as the end or object of the
trial is a thorough knowledge of the candidate's character, whatever will
accomplish this end in a satisfactory manner is undoubtedly sufficient. The
accomplishment of the end is, however, always to be insisted on.

9th. They are required to be the husbands of one wife.

In an age when polygamy was so common this direction was important. From
this, however, we are not to conclude that it is necessary for a deacon to be a
married man; but if married, he should not have more than one wife at the same
time. [80]

10th. They ought to be such as rule well their own families. Ruling their
children and their own houses well."

The eleventh verse in the text quoted from the third chapter of First Timothy
prescribes the qualifications of the deacons' wives. "Even so must their
wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things" [1Ti
3:11], or, as some think the original should be translated, "Let the
women likewise be grace." This is applicable to believing women in
general, but it may refer particularly to the women who belonged to the order
called deaconesses.

That there existed such an order, or rank, in the primitive church
the following verses of Scripture seem to favor, and render highly probable:

"I commend unto you Phoebe our sister, which is a servant of the church
which is at Cenchrea" (Ro 16:1).

It is generally allowed that Phoebe, who is here expressly called diakonon,
a deaconess, or servant of the church, was one of this order.

Such, it is reasonable to think, were also Euodias and Syntyche, two pious women
in the church at Philippi, that had "labored with" the Apostle
"in the gospel"; "and who were assistants to others also who had
assisted him" (Php 4:2,3).

And such, likewise, in all probability, were Philip's four daughters (Ac
21:9).

Concerning these stated servants of the church the Apostle judged it expedient
to enumerate several requisite qualifications for the office which they
sustained. They are required to be

1st. Grave. Of a solemn and dignified behavior.

2d. Not slanderers. No false accusers of the brethren, and others, which
is devilish.

3d. Sober. Prudent and watchful, so some render the word.

4th. Faithful in all things.

Deaconesses were servants of the church, and as such they must be faithful in
serving the church in all things belonging to their [81] office; especially in
dispensing the bounty of the church, in visiting the sick, in comforting
mourners, in assisting female candidates for baptism, in procuring places of
entertainment for female strangers at public meetings, and in performing all
those religious offices for the female part of the church which could not with
propriety be performed by men, which was particularly their original business
and duty.

Howbeit, as the Scripture is entirely silent in respect to the original
institution of the office of deaconess, and also as to any explicit rules about
it, it can only be defended on grounds of expediency, and not as a matter of
divine appointment.

The office of deacon, however, now under consideration is without controversy
plainly marked in Scripture as divinely instituted. And those, says the Apostle,
"that have used the office of a deacon well," who have faithfully
discharged their duty, "purchase to themselves a good degree" of gifts
and graces, or of further advancement in a higher office, "and great
boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus" [1Ti 3:13].
This some explain as importing an ability to teach, and others as denoting the
exercise of prevailing faith in prayer before God. In either sense the passage
gives great encouragement to the diligent and faithful performance of the
deacon's office. I now go on to consider,

This we may learn from the history of the transaction relative to the subject
recorded in the sixth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, from the first to the
sixth verse inclusive.

"And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there
arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were
neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the
disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of
God and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of
honest [82] report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over
this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and ministry of
the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a
man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor,
and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch: Whom they set
before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on
them" (Ac 6:1-6).

This passage contains both the original institution of this order of officers
and the manner of their appointment to office.

Now, as it respects the manner of appointing deacons, I observe that they ought
to be chosen by a vote of the church, either by the suffrage of all the members
of the church, both males and females, or by the male members only. The right of
female suffrage in the election of ecclesiastical officers ought to be subject
at all times to the majority of the church.

This, I think, is in perfect conformity with the manner of choosing the deacons
recorded in the passage as above cited. The Apostles, we are informed, summoned
"the multitude of the disciples" together, and then directed them
to choose seven men of specified qualifications, whom they might appoint
over this business [Ac 6:2,3]. "And the saying pleased the
whole multitude: and they [the multitude of the disciples, or the church] chose
Stephen, a man full of faith," &c. [Ac 6:5].

Thus, it is sufficiently evident that the original manner in which deacons were
chosen was by the vote and suffrage of the whole church.

After the election was ended, and the choice determined, the Apostles publicly
recognized and ratified the same by prayer and imposition of hands. This rite
was generally used by the Apostles, and others in their age, to convey the same
extraordinary or miraculous gifts. But as this power has confessedly ceased with
the [83] apostolic age, and by consequence no one is now capable of conveying
such gifts through the use of this rite, I judge myself authorized to give it as
my opinion that this is no "authoritative example of the manner in which
deacons are to be introduced into every church."

"This office was instituted when the church was numerous; wherefore, the
number of seven in the first church is not a rule and example binding on all
future churches; but such a number are to be chosen, and may be changed,
increased, or diminished as the exigency of the church requires."

The deacons' destination is only to that particular church to which they belong.
Their term of office is optional with the church.

Deacon
signifies a servant,Diener. They may be what the Apostle
calls elsewhere helps; in German, Helfer (1Co 12:28),
inasmuch as they are helpful to the elders, church, and poor.

Their work and business is,

1. Not to preach the gospel or administer the ordinances, as baptism and the
Lord's Supper. Philip, indeed, one of the seven, did both preach and baptize (Ac
6:5 8:5-40); but then he did both by virtue of his office as an
evangelist (Ac 21:8).

2. Not to rule in the church. We read of ruling elders, but never of ruling
deacons.

3. Their principal work and business is to serve tables (Ac 6:2).
As,

1st. The Lord's table.

It is their duty to provide the elements of bread and wine, and make all the
necessary preparations whenever the Lord's Supper is to be administered.

2d. The Minister's table.

It belongs to them to take care that a proper provision be made for the
subsistence of those who labor among them "in the ministry [84] of the
word" [Ac 6:4], or who preach the gospel. "For," as
says the Apostle, "the Lord hath ordained that they which preach the gospel
should live of the gospel" [1Co 9:4]. But in order that such
may "live of the gospel," or be supported by the church or churches
among whom they fulfill the work of the gospel ministry, it is necessary that
some person or persons should collect the bounty of the church and communicate
it to them for that purpose.

This duty properly belongs to the deacon's office.

They should also provide suitable places of lodgings or entertainment for
strangers, and for brethren from a distance when traveling or attending meetings
of religious worship.

3d. The Poor's table.

In the primitive churches there seems to have existed something like a regular
system of contribution, designed solely to provide relief for their poor and
suffering members.

"Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the
churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one
of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him" (1Co 16:1,2).

"They would that we should remember the poor; the same which I was always
forward to do" [Ga 2:10].

From these and other texts of Scripture we plainly see that the Apostles and
first Christian were full of alms-deeds. St. Paul was not only forward himself
to remember the poor, but he felt anxious to have others remember and assist
them also. He, therefore, gave particular direction to the church at Corinth, as
he had previously done to the churches of Galatia, to take up weekly collections
for the saints who were poor and necessitous. And on these occasions every one
was required to contribute in proportion as "God had prospered him" [1Co
16:2].

This laudable and Christian duty ought with similar care to be observed by all
Christian churches at the present time. In every church a charitable fund ought
to be begun, and to be continually [85] supplied by weekly contributions. Out of
this fund the indigent and necessitous widows, orphans, and others ought to be
assisted and relieved. "Of this fund the deacons ought to be the standing
almoners, as being by the authority of God designated to this office."

Thus we have considered the official work and duties incumbent on church
deacons, namely:

First.
To provide the proper elements for the celebration of the Lord's supper.

Second.
To procure, or make up, a competent support for the elder or elders who devote
themselves to the service of the church. And,

Third.
To make proper distribution of the alms of the church to its suffering members.

Thus they are to receive, lay out, and distribute the stock of the church to its
proper uses. These are the purposes for which their office was established. And
whilst they are employed in directing and managing the temporal affairs of the
church, it is the proper business of the elders to preside over and direct its
spiritual concerns. This doctrine was exhibited and illustrated under its proper
head in the last chapter. [86]